Recall
in an earlier tip that as many as 70% of new jobs are created by small
businesses. And, on a related note, most wealthy people in America got that way by owning
their own business, according to many sources, such as the best-selling
“Millionaire Next Door.”
So,
it pays to network with the wealthy to uncover job leads. BUT … you had better
do it right. Or you risk alienating the very people who can help you get hired!
This
tip is courtesy of the editors of Early To Rise, a fantastic email newsletter (http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm).
IR
arrived at my office for our lunch meeting 20 minutes early.
If
there is anything worse than arriving 15 minutes late, it's arriving early and
expecting your host to drop what he's doing and pay attention to you. If you
must arrive early because you aren't sure how long the drive will take and you
don't want to be late, do your host a favor. Stay in your car and read the
newspaper until the appointed hour.
The
second thing that bugged me was more serious. After we exchanged the usual
pleasantries, I asked IR, "So what are you up to now?"
This
was his cue to make his pitch. But IR simply shrugged and said,
"Nothing."
Confused,
I asked, "And is that what you want to be doing?"
"Oh
no," he insisted. "I need to find some work. I was hoping you could
help me."
If you are ever in
need of help from a busy person, don't make the mistake of saying, simply,
"I am hoping you can help me." It says that not only are you lost and
undecided but also that you are too lazy to even come up with a plan to save
yourself.
IR
not only wanted me to help him get back on the wealth wagon but also wanted me
to tell him exactly what he should do and how he should do it.
"Gee,"
I said. "I don't know what to tell you." And then I explained my
philosophy of finding employment -- that you have to work as hard at finding it
as you intend to spend working once you find it.
"How
many hours a week do you devote to your next career?" I asked him.
"Just
about none," he admitted.
At
that point, I wanted to put down my salad fork and call for the check. I
wouldn't do this kind of potty training for my adult children. Why would I do
it for a man whom I barely know?
Instead,
I made a few tepid suggestions about people he should contact -- and, at the
same time, I mentally crossed him off my list of people I'd help in the future.
IR's lunch turned out much worse than he had planned.
If
you want someone rich and/or powerful and/or connected to help you (and there's
no reason you shouldn't), you need to do your homework. You need to do a lot of
research into the field you want to work in. You need to know the major
players, understand the basic business dynamics, and find out which sectors are
working and which are not.
Action Step: You need to go to any
job-related networking meeting with a clear idea of what you want to do and be
able to present it concisely and with backup. You need to come equipped with
ideas about how you are going to get hold of the resources you need to succeed,
including money, people, and technology.
Your
ideas don't have to be foolproof. That's the reason you need this person to
help you. But unless you come to him with something that lets him know you are
already hard-working and motivated, he's not going to feel anything but pity
for you.
You
won't get the help you need by being pitiful. You will get it -- and more -- by
being inspiring.
You
need to come into the meeting prepared and humble, and your presentation must
paint a picture that is exciting. To excite the imagination of someone who is
rich and powerful, you'll need to put the good stuff on the table.
Work
first. Ask for help second.
(From
the email newsletter, Early to Rise. To learn more, click on
http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm)
Compliments of David Perry and Kevin Donlin
Grab your Free Guerrilla Job Search Audio here.
